Rotary cutter-slitter for high speed bursting apparatus

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a demountably replaceable rotary cutter-slitter provided with a demountable, circular blade of the so-called throw-away, disposable type permitting a dull blade to be quickly and easily replaced with a sharp blade. The cutterslitter device can be positioned to accommodate varying widths items and the location of the cutter relative to the edges of the item may be adjusted according to the desired dimensions by the simple expedient of sliding the cutter normal to the path of movement of the item web avoiding unnececcary downtime of the associated apparatus, e.g., burster.

United States Patent [191 Aug. 27, 1974 Phillips ROTARY CUTTER-SLIT'I'ERFOR HIGH SPEED BURSTING APPARATUS [76] Inventor: James Curt Phillips, 35Coach St.,

Canandaigua, NY. 14424 [22] Filed: May 1, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 249,341

[52] US. Cl 83/481, 83/665, 83/676 {51] Int. Cl. 323d 19/06 [58] Fieldof Search 83/481, 491, 492, 493,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 546,532 9/1895 Hemphill83/492 X 3,332,326 7/1967 Haas 83/433 X Primary ExaminerJ. M. MeisterAttorney, Agent, or Firm Carl Fissell, Jr.; Edward G. Fiorito; Paul W.Fish [57] ABSTRACT The invention relates to a demountably replaceablerotary cutter-slitter provided with a demountable, circular blade of theso-called throw-away, disposable type permitting a dull blade to bequickly and easily replaced with a sharp blade. The cutter-slitterdevice can be positioned to accommodate varying widths items and thelocation of the cutter relative to the edges of the item may be adjustedaccording to the desired dimensions by the simple expedient of slidingthe cutter normal to the path of movement of the item web avoidingunnececcary downtime of the associated apparatus, e.g., burster.

4 Claims, 11 Drawing Figures PAIENTEDAUBZYW 3.831.480

llllll! PAIENIEM Z smersur ROTARY CUTTER-SLI'ITER FOR HIGH SPEEDBURSTING APPARATUS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION a web that includesportions carrying pin feed holes for advancing the web through itsapparatus.

More often than not such apparatus involves the use of circular cutterblades which are mounted for rotation against a metal backup anvil orwhich permit the peripheral portions of the cutter blade to move withina circular groove disposed in the backup member or anvil depressing andthereby cutting the item therebetween.

In many if not most instances such cutter blades are fixedly mounted forrotation on opposite sides of the apparatus frame supporting the same orin a fixed, intermediate location midway between the side frames of themachine. Changing the blades is a considerable chore and requires,generally speaking, a longer than need be downtime or time when themachine is completely stopped to permit dismounting and remounting ofthe old, dull blade for the new, sharp blade. Wrenches or other specialtools are usually required and a more than modest amount of skill andfinger dexterity may be needed to accomplish the changeover withoutinjury to the operator or to the blade assembly.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The prime object of the present invention is toobviate the aforementioned disadvantages and to provide certaindesirable features which will presently become apparent.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a slitter-cuttermechanism having a removable throwaway blade which is easily changed.

Another object of the invention is to provide a rotary cutter-slittermechanism for use with a high speed burster which can easily be adjustedto accommodate varying document size requirements.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a plastic cuttermechanism removable from the cutter drive by a simple tab-lock device sothat the dull blade may be thrown away and replaced by a fresh, sharpblade.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide as an assembly, acutter-slitter wherein the slitter blade is integrally cast into theplastic hub and wherein the blade and hub are plastic with the blademetal plated, ground and honed sharp.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Other objects and advantages of theinvention will be apparent from the following description of a preferredembodiment of apparatus incorporating the present invention illustratedin the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view in diagrammatic form illustrating theenvironment of the-invention as it might be incorporated into acontinuous form burster mechanism;

FIG. 2 is an isometric view of the cutter-slitter mechanism illustratingthe drive and mounting arrangement therefore;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the slitter-cutter as mounted in aburster apparatus with portions cut away to reveal certain details ofthe drive and mounting arrangement;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view along the line 44 of FIG.

-3 illustrating further details of the construction of the apparatus;

FIG. 4A is a sectional view of the cutter-slitter apparatus of FIG. 4fabricated as a one-piece unitary assemy;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional view of a portion of the apparatussimilar to FIG. 4 illustrating other and additional structural -detailsof the invention;

FIG. 5A is a view along the line SA-SA of FlG. 5;

FIG. 5B is a sectional view of the cutter-slitter apparatus of FIG. 5Afabricated as a one-piece unitary assembly;

FIG. 6 is a detail view taken along the line 6-6 of FIG. 5A;

FIG. 7 is a detail view of the apparatus of FIG. 5A partiallydismounted; and

FIG. 8 is an exploded isometric view of. the complete cutter-slitterassembly of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring first to FIG. 1 of thedrawings, it is assumed for the sake of the initial description that itis desired to burst continuous item forms along preweakenedportions'therein, and also to remove thereafter the edge portions of theform which carries the tractor holes which are employed to advance theforms-through the burster, etc. The burster 10 may be part of amodularized signer-protector-burster apparatus, which apparatus isdesigned to include a number of features not herein described in detailbut which enables the apparatus to perform other and additionalfunctions to that of paper separating and bursting as set forth in moredetail and particularity in copending U.S. Pat. application Ser. No.210,737, filed Dec. 22, 1971, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,794,228, entitledBursting and Separating Apparatus for Continuous Forms." A burstingmechanism 12 as described in the aforementioned application is or may bedisposed centrally of the main machine assembly 10, as shown. An itemmoving device such as a pin feed tractor mechanism 14 is driven byelectric motor 16 through a belt 18 and pin wheel pulleys 20. As seenmore clearly in FIG. 2, the pin feed tractor includes a movable pincarrying belt mechanism 22 provided with projecting conically shapedpins 24. Pins24 are engageable with line holes or perforations 26located on opposite, parallel edges of continuous item forms 28. Itemforms 28 are generally, although not necessarily, manifolded as shown at30, FIG. 1, and may be fed vertically, upwardly from supply bin 32 bythe pins of feed tractor .14. Inthe'present arrangement, as a result ofthe novel construction to be described presently, items varying in widthfrom 2 5/6 inchesto 24 inches may be accommodated'without alteration ofthe bursting mechanism 12.

As seen in FIG. 1 of the drawing, the continuous forms 28 are adapted tobe fed slantingly, vertically, upwardly over smoothing and retardingmeans suchas the arcuately curved guiding member 34 under a smoothingbrush assembly 36 into feed area 38. Individual pin feed tractors 14 arearranged on opposite sides of the apparatus, and each tractor is adaptedfor horizontal, slidable movement toward and away from the other suchmechanism along a helically threaded member (not shown), permitting thetractors 14 to be operator-adjusted for varying size and widthdocuments. The continuous form item 28 is then fed by the tractors 14into the bursting mechanism 12, and therebeyond into the bight of upperand lower ejection rollers and 42, respectively. The individually burstitem hereinafter identified at 44 once separated from the continuousform 28 is moved at high speed leftwardly in FIG. 1 into a stackerhopper 46 where such items are stacked one on top of the other forfurther handling and processing.

Drive motor 16 carries an elongated, driving shaft 48, FIGS. 1 and 2,extending outboard of the side frame of the machine as shown in brokenline form in FIG. 2. Carried on the exposed outboard end of motor shaft48 is a timing belt type pulley wheel 50 fixed to the shaft androtatable therewith. Slitter-cutter assembly 52 is demountably disposedbetween the side frames of the apparatus and arrangedto be slidablymovable along a splined or fluted shaft 54 rotatably mounted between theside frames for purposes now to be described. Shaft 54 projects throughthe side frame and carries on its exposed end timing belt type pulleywheel 56 fixedly attached thereto as shown. A notched timing type drivebelt 58 is arranged to transmit rotary power from shaft 48 via pulley 50to shaft 54 via pulley 56.

The slitter-cutter mechanism 52 includes a rigid subframe 60 and iscapable as will be hereinafter described of being pivotally, rockablymoved arcuately, upwardly as viewed in FIG. 2 away from the plane of thepaper item or continuous form 28. The cutter-slitter subassembly 62 asseen most clearly in FIG. 4 of the drawings comprises a hollow,elongated, cylindrical bushing 64 threaded as at 66 and secured to thesubframe 60 by means of a bolt 68 and nut 70 at one end and a C -ring 72at the opposite end. A grooved timing belt drive pulley 74, including abelt retaining washer 76, is mounted on bushing 66 so that washer 76abuts the integral flange 78 of member 64. A spacer 80 locates thebushing 64 relative to subframe 60. A demountably removable cutter blade82 of circular cross section is mounted between the confronting faces ofhub member 84 and finger lock nut 86. These three latter members 82, 84and 86 are retained in place on bushing 64 by means of a hex nut 88threaded onto member 64 pressing the assembly tightly against the pulley74. C-ring 70 disposed in groove 90 of member 64 retains the bolt 68within the bushing 64 and on the frame 60.

Adjacent the outboard end of the cutter assembly 62 is an item partingguide member 92, the elongated, pointed end portion 94 of which isadapted to press against the upper surface of the item 28 as it is beingslit or cut. The pointed end of member 92 forces the cut away portion ofeach item to be guided downwardly out of the path of movement of theincoming items. Member 92 is secured as by thread mounted supportingshafts 96 to the subframe 60 by means of washers 98 and nuts 100 inconventional fashion.

Located directly above the pulley 74 is an input drive pulley 102mounted adjacent the subframe 60 on a ho]- low, plastic, cylindricalsupporting member 104. The inner surface portion of member 104 isprovided with grooves or flutes 106 seen most clearly in FIG. 3 (andalso in FIG. 2). Member 104 is adapted to be received in mating drivingengagement with the grooved drive shaft 54. Pulley 102 is cup shaped andis secured to an upstanding circular ridge 108 on bushing 104 by meansof bolts 110. Member 112 which together with ridge 108 forms a bearingsurface, as at 114, for pulley 102, is mounted to subframe 60 by boltsI16. Bushing 104 is retained within opening 118 in subframe 60 by meansof a C-ring 120 located in groove 122 in the leftward end thereof (asviewed in FIG. 4). Input driving motion from shaft 48 transmitted toshaft 54 via belt 58 thus causes pulley 102 to rotate. This rotativemotion is transmitted to pulley 74 via drive belt 107, causing therotary cutter to rotate at high speed.

The rightwardly extending portion 124 of member 104 is provided with aseries of tensioning slots 126 as seen most clearly in FIGS. 2 and 3. Acrank shaped lever arm 128 carried by support 130 secured to the side offrame 60 by the bolts 116 is pivoted thereto by means of pivot pin 132and carries a circular, ring-like spring member 134 surrounding the endthereof. Member 134 is slidably, rockably movable along the taperedportion 136 of member 104. As viewed in FIG. 4, movement of the lever128 by moving the handle 138, FIG. 3, rightwardly will cause the lowerextending portion carrying the member 130 to move leftwardly along theinclined tapered portion 136 of member 104 which, due to release of thecircular tension on the slots 126 therein, will release member 104 fromengagement with the splines of shaft 54. Thereafter the completesubframe 60 and the cutter-slitter assembly carried thereby can beslidably moved leftwardly or rightwardly between the side frames of themachine enabling width of cut adjustment as desired.

As seen in FIG. 4, the edge of cutter blade 84 rides against adeformable backup member 104 carried by bushing 142 secured by set screw144 to shaft 146. Member provides slightly resilient backup anvil forthe cutter wheel. The continuous item forms are arranged to ride overthis member being driven by the tractor pins 24 of the tractor assembly14. Member 140 is arranged to be demountable from shaft 146 so that itcan be renewed and/or replaced as occasion demands due to wear and use.

The item web 28 may vary both in Width as well as in thickness. Forexample, where multiple plies of items are to be handled by theapparatus, the cutter-slitter assembly may be obliged to cut through asmany as 10 plies of paper and associated carbon paper or carbon films.In order to adapt the mechanism to this latter variable, a depth of cutadjustment is provided. As seen most clearly in FIG. 3 and also in theisometric view of FIG. 2, this adjustment is provided by means of anelongated, threaded shaft 148 threaded into and through the subframe 60and extending rearwardly thereof into abutting engagement with rearframe cross member 150. Rotative adjustment of the knurled screw head152 arcuately raises and lowers the assembly carrying the cutter blade,thereby varying the depth of cut as desired or required. A hex-lock nut154 secures the ad justment against accidental dislodgmcnt. Member 156pivotably mounted at 158 to frame 60 provided with depending noseportion 160 is adapted to seat behind the cross frame member 162 so asto latch the assembly in place against the tension of spring 164 oncethe adjustments for width and depth of cut have been made.

In order to provide for extreme ease in mounting and dismounting thecutter-slitter assembly from the subframe 60 and arrangement illustratedin FIGS. 5-8 inclusive of the invention is utilized. In thisconstruction, as will become readily apparent as the descriptionproceeds, the main portions of the assembly are disposable and may becast, formed or molded as a uniting assembly from plastic such as DELRINor other similar material. As seen most clearly in the explodedisometric view of FIG. 8, the disposable, plastic cutter-slitterincludes a bushing 166 of cast plastic provided with an enlarged boss168 and an undercut elongate shank portion 170. Bushing 166 is mountedon bolt 68 (on frame 60) with the boss 168 against the spacer 80. Aplastic cast or formed timing belt pulley gear 172 having timing beltengaging teeth or flutes 174 thereon is provided with a series ofarcuate, spaced, inclined segments 176 arranged circularly around theinternal open bore thereof as seen in FIG. 6. The segments 176 areseparated by equi-distant slots 178 providing an entry guideway as willbe described for engagement with associated elements of the combination.A stop pin 180 for purposes to be explained presently is arranged toproject outwardly perpendicularly away from one of the inclined segments176 (FIG. 6). This timing belt pulley gear 172 is press fitted over theportion 168 of the member 166.

A hub member 182 of circular cross section includes a threadedprojecting portion 184 extending from one side thereof while theopposite side of member 182 is undercut slightly as at 186 and isprovided with three equi-angularly disposed L-shaped tangs 188 whichproject outwardly away from the side thereof. Members 188 are arrangedfor mating engagement with the slots 178 in a manner which will becomeclear shortly.

A cutting element 190 of circular cross section provided with anenlarged central opening 192 and a peripheral sharpened edge portion 194is adapted to be mounted on and to be dismounted from the threadedportion 184 of the hub 182. A thumb lock nut 196 also of circular crosssection provided with an internally threaded bore 198 and a finger andthumb engaging projecting portion 200, ribbed or notched as at 202, isthreadedly engagable over threads 198 so as to secure the cuttingelement 190 to the hub 182.

As shown in FIGS. 5-8 inclusive, the slitter-cutter subassembly isassembled by mounting the cutter blade 190 onto the threaded extension184 of hub 182 and thereafter tightening the thumb lock nut 196 thereonto secure the blade 190 in place in the position shown in FIG. 5. Thepulley gear 172 is mounted to the subframe 60 by means of the supportingbushing 166 on which it rotates, the latter member being retainedagainst accidental dislodgement or removal by means of the hex nut 70 atone end adjacent the lower depending portion of subframe 60 and atopposite projecting end by the C-ring 72.

The assembled disposable cutter-slitter is mounted on the bushing 166,FIG. 7, and thereafter moved leftwardly so as to introduce the tangs 188into mating slots 178 in the internal bore of gear 172. Thereafter,rotating the entire slitter assembly a slight amount causes the L-shapedends of the tangs 188 to ride up on the inclined surfaces of arcuatemembers 176 until one of the tangs 188 abuts. This pin may be cast in aspart of a unitary assembly, as hereinafter described. The clearancesinvolved between the inclined surfaces 176 and the ends of the tangs 188are such that the assembly as shown in FIG. 5 is tightly press fittedtogether but still demountably removable by means of finger pressure.

All of the previously described parts of the slittercutter assembly ofthe present invention can be fabricated from metal. However, as pointedout earlier herein, it is an important object of the present inventionto reduce the cost of producing and fabricating parts and to lower thecost of suitable replacements for worn or broken parts as well as dullcutter blades. To this end, as seen with reference to FIG. 4A the blade82, hub member 84, finger locknut 86 and hex nut 88 all may befabricated as a one-piece cast or molded unitary plastic assembly 89.The blade edge 91 can be coated with or molded or cast with a hardenedmetallized portion which is capable of being sharpened or honed toprovide a fine cutting edge. Internal threads 93 permit the assembly 89to be quickly and easily replaced as the cutting edge wears or dulls inuse. The cutter-slitter subassembly FIG. 8 including the hub 182, theblade and the thumb lock nut 196 are fabricated of plastic, e.g., castor formed of DELRIN or hard polyurethane. These parts may be cast orextruded, whichever process lends itself more efficiently to the shapesshown. The hub 182, cutter blade 190 and thumb lock nut 196 can be aone-piece encapsulated or extruded plastic assembly 197, FIG. 58 afterwhich the blade edge 198 can be metallized with chromium, etc., andground sharp, e.g., by honing and polishing. If the disposable one-pieceassembly is employed, then the threads 184 are not used for obviousreasons. Where cost is of major or paramount importance, fabricating allthree parts 182, 190 and 196 from one piece of plastic material enablesthe production of the true throw-away cutter-slitter subassembly. Thethrow-away aspect of the subassembly coupled with the simplifiedmounting and demounting arrangement afford an ease of use not heretoforeavailable. In addition, the ultra simple mechanical couplingconstruction permits the assembly to be attended by a relativelyunskilled or untrained operator avoiding the necessity or requirementfor trained service personnel to change blades or adjust the depthand/or width of cut of the mechanism.

While a particular embodiment of the invention has been shown, it willbe understood, of course, that it is not desired that the invention belimited thereto since modifications may be made, and it is, therefore,contemplated by the appended claims to cover any such modifications asfall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is: l. A cutter-slitter apparatus comprising a plasticbearing member, a plastic gear member rotatably mounted on said bearingmember,

said gear member having a hollow internal bore and a plurality ofinclined grooves therein, and

a plastic metal coated cutting member including means receivable in saidgrooves for detachably coupling said cutting member to said gear memberfor conjoint rotation therewith.

cutter member, and

drive means for said cutter member for rotating said member at a desiredcutting speed relative to said anvil.

4. The invention in accordance with claim 3 wherein said last namedmeans includes a threaded portion operably engageable with a threadedportion on said bearing member, permitting said cutter member to bereplaced at will.

1. A cutter-slitter apparatus comprising a plastic bearing member, aplastic gear member rotatably mounted on said bearing member, said gearmember having a hollow internal bore and a plurality of inclined groovestherein, and a plastic metal coated cutting member including meansreceivable in said grooves for detachably coupling said cutting memberto said gear member for conjoint rotation therewith.
 2. The invention ofclaim 1 wherein said gear member is press fitted to said bearing memberand rotatable conjointly therewith.
 3. Cutter-slitter apparatuscomprising a one-piece molded plastic cutter member, the peripheralsurface of said member being coated with a material capable of beingprovided with a sharp cutting edge thereon, means mounting said cuttermember for rotation adjacent a surface providing a back up anvil forsaid cutter member, and drive means for said cutter member for rotatingsaid member at a desired cutting speed relative to said anvil.
 4. Theinvention in accordance with claim 3 wherein said last named meansincludes a threaded portion operably engageable with a threaded portionon said bearing member, permitting said cutter member to be replaced atwill.